What do you really get for 3 grand?

[DHaught]

I have a colt 1911 that I paid a little over 700 for and it is a great pistol. It's a little on the sloppy side compared to some of the nicer 1000 dollar range guns I've seen but it has ran good for me so far.

I've looked into getting what I would consider basic upgrades that pretty much come stock on the 1200 to 1500 dollar range guns like Kimbers, Springfields, S&W's done to my colt at different "custom" shops and individual custom gunsmiths and the prices have run from 1700 to 3500+ for the work and parts and a refinish. These prices have been for a beavertail safety, trigger job, hammer, mag catch, night sights, slide fit, action job, bushing, front strap checkering, a mild carry bevel and re-finish. Notice that's not including a match barrel or guide rod or any other small parts.

So if you can get a springfield, kimber, or S&W for 1000 to 1500 with all the better parts including the match barrel and full length guide rod and a better finish with good parts fit and that will reliably shoot accurately and feed most kinds of ammo then what are you really getting extra when you get into that 3000 to 5000 dollar range and 1 to 2 year wait lists from some of the bigger name smiths and shops?

Does it just come down to " I want this and I can afford it" mentality, kind of like owning an expensive painting or collectible?

I'm just wondering because I'm about to spend about twice what it would cost to get the same "features" in a kimber or SA and probably the cost of a new Wilson Combat or Nighthawk Custom to have my colt upgraded at one of those shops or a custom smith.

Does this make sense?

 

[M2 Carbine]

I want this and I can afford it" mentality, kind of like owning an expensive painting or collectible?

IMO, mostly yes.

Put it this way. Will all the whistles and bells make you shoot faster and more accurate enough to justify the added cost? I doubt it.

With my $590 Kimber Ultra carry I can do this.


With my $1,186 Kimber Ultra Covert I can do this.


Pretty close to the same, right.

So, why did I pay almost twice as much for the Covert? I obviously didn't "need" it to improve my shooting.
I paid twice as much because I WANTED the Covert.
That's same reason I've given serious thought to buying a $3,000 1911, I want one.
Of course the overall quality and workmanship of the expensive gun is expected to to be much better than a much less expensive 1911, but I'd just be fooling myself it I said the expensive gun will improve my shooting enough to justify the much greater cost.

"I want" is the only justification necessary if the funds are available.

 

[2TransAms]

Does it just come down to " I want this and I can afford it" mentality, kind of like owning an expensive painting or collectible?

Kind of.

If your Colt has been 100% reliable and accurate, then there's nothing a $3000 1911 can do to beat that. It may have better parts, better fitting, a shiny new finish, and a bunch of options and upgrades that your Colt doesn't, and it will have an impressive name attached to it. You have to decide if it's worth it. I've got almost $2000 apiece into two DW's, but it was changes that I wanted. It's worth it to me. Others may be happy with a stock Kimber or Springfield, or may not be happy with anything less than a Brown or Nighthawk. So it's largely a personal decision if it's worth it.

Personally, I'd keep the Colt as is, and spend that 2 grand on a new pistol.

 

[M2 Carbine]

what are you really getting extra when you get into that 3000 to 5000 dollar range

My Wife use to say, "It's just something to impress the other kids".

 

[DRYHUMOR]

Probably the best money you could spend is for a trigger/reliabilty job. Then use the other $1000-2000, bucks left over for ammo.

Time, money, eyesight all conspire to limit the benefit I could get out of a $3000 pistol. I shoot enough and well enough to be able to hit what I aim at, that's what counts IMHO.

 

[Phydeaux642]

What do you really get for 3 grand?

The right to look down your nose smugly at those of us that don' have $3,000 1911s.

 

[ge0624me]

IMO, mostly yes.

Put it this way. Will all the whistles and bells make you shoot faster and more accurate enough to justify the added cost? I doubt it.

With my $590 Kimber Ultra carry I can do this.


With my $1,186 Kimber Ultra Covert I can do this.


Pretty close to the same, right.

So, why did I pay almost twice as much for the Covert? I obviously didn't "need" it to improve my shooting.
I paid twice as much because I WANTED the Covert.
That's same reason I've given serious thought to buying a $3,000 1911, I want one.
Of course the overall quality and workmanship of the expensive gun is expected to to be much better than a much less expensive 1911, but I'd just be fooling myself it I said the expensive gun will improve my shooting enough to justify the much greater cost.

"I want" is the only justification necessary if the funds are available.

Very well said, ....I Could'nt of said it better myself,The only thing I'll add is that 1911's are like Buying Homes, you have your basic Cookie Cutter homes and then you go all the way up to a full house custom, that includes every detail,of your choosing, but at a price , DO YOU NEED IT TO MAKE YOU A BETTER SHOOTER, NO , BUT IT SURE DOES FEEL NICE TO HAVE ALL THE UPGRADES.

 

[DHaught]

The right to look down your nose smugly at those of us that don' have $3,000 1911s.

I think I like that response the best. I'm glad to see that so many people are realistic about the whole thing. I'll probably get the colt tuned up just because I want to and buy a kimber to carry in the mean time.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Want to know what I got for $3000? Two Colt pre-WWII Commercial Model .45's, ivory grips, and an Idaho Leather "Last Man Standing" rig. These guns function flawlessly, and hold their value better than any custom. The sights are a bit of a challenge at long range, but they clear leather fast at combat distances, and will still get you on target at 10 yards as fast as anything else.

[/IMG]

 

[EddieNFL]

Pretty much all the above is correct. Even Phydeaux's penis envy. I have Colts and Kimbers that are as reliable as my Wilsons and Nighthawk. The latter are more accurate, but the difference is barely enough to be measured. The semi-customs and customs give you options that aren't available on production guns.

Here's one:

I could argue the crown enhances accuracy, and maybe it does, but I wanted it for aesthetics.

 

[M2 Carbine]

Want to know what I got for $3000? Two Colt pre-WWII Commercial Model .45's, ivory grips, and an Idaho Leather "Last Man Standing" rig.

Now that is nice

Great movie.
With that rig I can could see me at the range playing Bruce Willis blasting bad guys with those two 45s.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Admittedly, I have had the two Commercial guns for about 3 years now and prices have gone up a bit. I got both for an average of $1200 ea, added the ivory (one pair that I had had for awhile), and the shoulder rig was about $240 at the time. I can't remember what I spent on 'smithing, but a local MASTER gunsmith installed Brown barrel bushings and tightened up the rear end of the barrels (probably around $100 each). That is all that was done internally; the triggers were already very good (better than 90% of G.I. guns). Externally, they are stock. One is from 1935, the other 1936.

 

[bestseller92]

What would I get for three grand?

A Glock 19.
Plus a Glock 30SF.
Plus a Remington 870.
Plus a Ruger Super Blackhawk.
Plus a Ruger LCP.
Plus a Marlin 336.
Plus a Ruger 10/22.
Plus $150 worth of ammo.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

What would I get for three grand?

A Glock 19.
Plus a Glock 30SF.
Plus a Remington 870.
Plus a Ruger Super Blackhawk.
Plus a Ruger LCP.
Plus a Marlin 336.
Plus a Ruger 10/22.
Plus $150 worth of ammo.
__________________
I agree. $3K is better spent on a usable arsenal. Once you have the good, working guns, then blow it on the "wants". I believe ALL guns will be investments.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Does it just come down to " I want this and I can afford it" mentality, kind of like owning an expensive painting or collectible?

actually it's more like stepping up from a Honda Accord, by-passing the production BMW 3 class and getting a BMW M-class...or a AMG Mecedes, or RUF Porsche

in watches it would be stepping up from a Casio, by-passing the Seiko and choosing a Tag or Rolex

 

[EddieNFL]

I'll go along with the TAG, but I prefer Lexus...although a RUF Porsche would look nice in the garage.

 

[sig220mw]

My stock sig 220 shoots that well with mixed brands of ammo in the mag.
$689.00. No it's not a colt or clone but it is a shooter. Had 2 colts previously a government model and a combat elite. The government model shot better than the elite but I sold the elite and traded the government model in for the sig and have never looked back.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I'll go along with the TAG, but I prefer Lexus.

for the Lexus to qualify, it would have to be a new F-class

 

[Dimis]

actually it's more like stepping up from a Honda Accord, by-passing the production BMW 3 class and getting a BMW M-class...or a AMG Mecedes, or RUF Porsche

yea but why bother when my tuned SRT-4 will eat almost all of these (ok not sure about the porsche but the AMG and M3 are toasted)

it honestly is just for bragging rights if all your looking for is flash

i cant understand how wilson and nighthawk can charge that much not there isnt a boost in quality from those guncrafters but the price is outragious and the amount of quality isnt that high over the 1000-1500 1911s

 

[MICHAEL T]

keep your Colt buy good leather and a nice set of grips Rest of money save towards another gun, you will want. You will always want another and another

 

[HippieMagic]

You get a $1500 gun with a $2000 name.

 

[Floppy_D]

I neither have that kind of coin for guns, nor am I the kind of shot that warrants such equipment. However, I will admire the pictures you post. Blow 100K on a 1911, just make sure to post pictures of it so I can see what a 100k 1911 looks like.

 

[Pappy109]

IMHO....screwed! I have a $380.00 Glock 36 that launches 230/.45 caliber bullets just as good as the rest of them.

 

[Floppy_D]

IMHO....screwed! I have a $380.00 Glock 36 that launches 230/.45 caliber bullets just as good as the rest of them.

An 87 Honda and an 87 Lotus serve the same function from a utilitarian aspect... but they aren't the same animal. I'll drive a Honda and appreciate the utility... but I still admire the Lotus.

 

[Magnumite]

My experience with 1911's boils down to what configuration do I shoot best and what are the priorities in the performance of the stock pattern pistol.

$1500-1800 will buy me the best performance and configuration I could ask for. The remainder of that $1200 is aesthetics and refinements.

I've built several 1911 pistols. Over the years they've been getting better and better. Through this I can; 1.) know what I need in a 1911 pistol; 2.) understand the fitting and labor behind a custom gun; 3.) appreciate the embellishments incorporated into them.

There is one $600 gun out there that is a great buy for the $$$ and a couple around $1000 that are on the cool side. $1200 is a good value price area also if you know what you are looking for.